U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels stop in Idaho Falls, plan for air show

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — On Friday, March 3, the City of Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Regional Airport and the Idaho Falls Air Show Board of Directors welcomed two aviators from the U.S. Navy’s elite Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team. The two-day visit officially kicks off preparations for this summer’s Extreme Blue Thunder Air Show scheduled for July 22 and 23 at the Idaho Falls Regional Airport.

The team, originally scheduled to meet in January, had to reschedule the visit due to inclement weather.

While in Idaho Falls, Navy Lieutenants Brandon Hempler and Dave Steppe will meet with city officials to review technical and tactical logistics for the show including airport operations, safety and security protocols and area amenities necessary for hosting dozens of supporting crewmembers.

Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper states, “The fact that the Blue Angels once again chose Idaho Falls as a location for their show is a testament to the dedication of the volunteers who plan the event and the incredible amount of support it receives from sponsors and this community. Without this kind of enthusiastic local support, this event would not be possible.”

The Extreme Blue Thunder Air Show will be headlined by the Blue Angels, flying their signature blue and gold-trimmed F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Other nationally recognized aerial performers are expected to join the show’s lineup and will be announced in the

coming months. Online ticket sales will begin in March with special prices for early purchases.

“We are thrilled to have the Blue Angels back in Idaho Falls for the second time in seven years,” said Russell Johnson, chairman of the Idaho Falls Air Show Board of Directors. “An event of this magnitude requires the support of so many organizations and volunteers, and we are fortunate that major sponsors including Westmark Credit Union and Fluor Idaho have already signed on.”

The Blue Angels last appeared in Idaho Falls in 2010. More than 45,000 people purchased tickets for the two-day event, generating an estimated $20 million in regional economic activity and raising $250,000 for the Mayor’s Youth Scholarship Fund.